The award ceremony of the 2018 Panda Cup Japan Youth Essay Contest takes place at the Chinese Embassy in Japan in Tokyo on November 15, 2018 (XINHUA)

Chinese President Xi Jinping has encouraged young people in China and Japan to make contributions to a bright future of bilateral relations.

Xi made the remarks in a reply letter to Daichi Nakashima, a prize-winner in the Panda Cup Japan Youth Essay Contest, who wrote to the Chinese leader ahead of Xi's trip to Japan for the upcoming Group of 20 Summit in Osaka.

In his letter, Nakashima extended his greetings and best wishes to the Chinese president, and expressed his willingness to devote himself to the cause of China-Japan friendship.

Xi, in his reply, said he is glad to see that Nakashima has been studying the Chinese language and literature for a long time and, by participating in essay contests and exchange activities in China, has learned more about China and strengthened his bonds with Chinese friends.

Noting that China and Japan are close neighbors separated by only a narrow strip of water, he said the friendship between the two countries is rooted in the people, and that the future of the friendship between the two peoples is in the hands of the young people.

Xi said he hopes that the youth of China and Japan will strengthen exchanges and mutual learning, enhance mutual understanding, develop long-lasting friendships, and contribute to creating an even brighter future for bilateral relations.

Xi also encouraged Nakashima to continue to promote China-Japan friendship.

Nakashima, who studied Chinese language and literature in college, has on multiple occasions participated in China-related essay contests and visited China.